Workers&#39; caps



E. BERG WORKERS CAPS Aug. 21, 1956 Filed May 29, 1953 I x x61 IN V EN TOR.

United States Patent WORKERS CAPS Elaine Berg, Chicago, Ill.

Application May 29, 1953, Serial No. 358,372

2 Claims. (Cl. 2197) The present invention relates to workers caps, and is particularly concerned with an improved workers cap adapted to be worn by attendants at soda fountains, lunch counters, and the like.

One of the objects of the invention is to provision of an improved cap of the class described, which may be manufactured with a minimum amount of labor, and which is adapted to be kept in a clean and sanitary condition with a minimum amount of labor.

Another object of the invention is the provision of an improved cap of the class described, which is adjustable in size and in which the top is adapted to adjust itself to the adjustment of the foundation band.

Another object of the invention is the provision of an improved fastener construction and fastener arrangement which is adaptable to be secured to the foundation band of plastic without danger of cracking or tearing the band.

Another object of the invention is the provision of an improved workers cap of the, class described, which may be manufactured economically, which is durable, which includes a minimum number of parts, and involves a minimum amount of labor, and which may be worn a long time without necessity, for repair or replacement of its parts.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following description and the accompanying drawings, in which similar characters of reference indicate similar parts throughout the several views.

Referring to the single sheet of drawings accompanying this specification,

Fig. 1 is a view in perspective of a worker wearing a cap embodying the invention;

Fig. 2 is a view taken from the top and side of the cap;

Fig. 3 is a view taken from the top and end of an inverted cap, with the foundation band open to disclose the features of adjustability;

Fig. 4 is a view of the top covering in perspective and in an inverted position;

Fig. 5 is a plan view of the foundation band extended in a single plane;

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary exploded view of one end of the foundation band and the female fasteners;

Fig. 7 is a fragmentary exploded view of the other end of the foundation band, showing the male fasteners and associated parts;

Fig. 8 is a view in perspective of the male fastener employed in securing the top covering to the foundation band;

Fig. 9 is a fragmentary sectional view, taken from the plane of the line 9-9 of Fig. 3, looking in the direction of the arrows;

Fig. 10 is a side elevational view of the top covering turned inside out to show its construction.

Fig. 11 is a fragmentary view in perspective of a modified foundation band having another form of fastener.

Referring to Figs. 1 and 2, the Workers cap embodying the invention is indicated in its entirety by the numeral 10; and it comprises a foundation band 11 and a fabric top covering 12. The foundation band 11 comprises a rectangular strip of smooth, shiny sheet plastic, which is preferably white in color, but may be of any other desired color.

Various types of plastics may be employed; but they are preferably heat resistive so that they are definitely not inflammable. Among those that may be employed are vinyl-chloride acetate resins, vinyl chloride resins, vinylidene chloride resins, vinyl butyral resin, vinyl alcohol resin, methyl methacrylate, polystyrene, polyethylene, cellulose acetate, and cellulose acetate butyrate.

All of the foregoing have a very slow burning rate, are neutral in characteristics and resistive to acids and alkaloids, and may be provided in shiny sheet form of White or colors in such manner that dirt does not penetrate, and may be readily washed off with soap and water.

The plastic band 11 is provided with a pair of apertures 13 and 14 intermediate its ends and located upon its opposite lateral sides when it is worn on the head for the use of securing devices to attach the top. At one of its ends the plastic band has a pair of spaced apertures 15, 16; and at the other of its ends it has a plurality of spaced pairs of apertures 17, 18, 19, used for adjusting the length of the plastic band.

One of the greatest difiiculties in employing such a plastic band lies in the fact that snap fasteners or other fasteners soon split or tear or break the plastic band when secured according to any of the usual methods, such as by machine or sewing the snap fasteners to the band.

Referring to Fig. 6, this illustrates the end portion 20 of the plastic band with its apertures 15 and 16, which are adapted to register with the female snap fasteners 21, 22. These may be secured to the plastic band in registering position by means of a strip of flexible, transparent plastic 23 covered on one side with contact adhesive 24 of the type which is adhesively secured by pressure.

The female snap fasteners 21 and 22 are pressed against the adhesive band 23 at the points 25 and 26, which are so located that the female snap fasteners will register with the holes 15 and 16 when the adhesive band. 23 is pressed firmly against them.

The adhesive band 2 3 conforms to the surface of the snap fasteners and contacts the back of the snap fasteners and the plastic band end portion 20 over the full area and length of the adhesive strip 23, effectively securing the snap fasteners, as shown at 21, 22 in Fig. 3.

The male snap fasteners 26 and 27 are secured to a similar adhesive strip 28, having the contact adhesive 29 and located at the points 30, 31 so that the nibs 32 will extend through the apertures 17-19 arranged in pairs at the other end portion 33 of the plastic band 11.

In this case the male snap fasteners 26 and 27 are detachably mounted on the plastic band, but are permanently located on the adhesive strip 28, which has one of its ends folded back upon itself, as indicated at 34, to provide a removable tab. The removable tab 34 has its adhesive parts engaging each other so that this small portion of the strip 23 projects from the foundation band 11 to be grasped by the thumb and forefinger to pull the strip 28 from the foundation band 11 when it is desired to adjust the efiective length of the foundation band.

The male snap fasteners 26 and 27' are then secured by means of the same strip 28 in registry with one or the other of the pairs. of apertures 17-19 to adjust the fastening members so that the foundation; band fits the head of the wearer.

The end portion 33 located beyond the apertures. 17,

18, 19 is always preferably disposed on the inside of the foundation band when the male snap fasteners 26, 27 are pressed into the female snap fasteners 21, 22.

The top covering 12 preferably includes a lower sweatband 35 and an upper slightly transparent fabric top 36. The top 36 is made of a trapezoidal strip of fine mesh fabric, which may be made of suitable, extruded plastic threads or filaments, such as that sold on the market under the trade name nylon. The nylon strip is folded upon itself at 37 and is sewed together along its top edge with a fabric binding strip 38 overlapping both cut edges, and secured by a single line of stitching.

The strip of which the top covering 12 is made is trapezoidal because as seen in Fig. 10, the length of the edge there uppermost, which is the open end, is longer than the length along the seam 38, which is lowermost in Fig. 10. The added material which makes it trapezoidal is indicated by the inwardly folded portion 40.

The rear edge 39 of the top 36 is not rectangular, but extends diagonally outward and upward for providing a foldable adjusting portion 40, which has a fold at 41 on both sides so that the rear edge 39 may be folded inward, as shown in Fig. 4.

The binding strip 38 and stitching extends along the ridge .42 and along the rear edge 39 in the same manner; and the binding strip also covers the adjacent stitched edges of the sweatband 35 at 43. The sweatband 35 comprises a rectangular strip of webbing, which is of a slightly stiffer nature, and which is finished at both of its ends.

The nylon top is folded back upon itself, as indicated by its out edge 44, and secured to the sweatband 35 by a single line of stitching 45.

The sweatband is preferably secured to the top 36 before the ridge 42 and the rear edge 39 are stitched and covered with binding tape. The cap is then turned inside out so that the binding tape and cut edges of the top are inside and the binding tape appears only as a less transparent or thicker portion of the cap, defining and outlining its upper and rear edges.

When turned inside out the nylon top forms an upwardly projecting ridged member open at the bottom.

When the foundation band is adjusted to its smallest size by utilizing the apertures 19, the folded portion 49 of the top is fully folded inside the foundation band; but when the foundation band is adjusted to a larger size by moving its male snap fasteners 26 and 27 to other apertures 17 or 18, the folded portion 40 automatically adjusts itself to be folded over so that the sweatband 35 fits inside of the foundation band.

The sweatband 35 is provided with a plurality of through apertures 46 upon its opposite lateral sides for receiving and passing the nibs of snap fasteners which cooperate with the female snap fasteners 47, which secure the top 12 and sweatband 35 to the foundation band 11.

A plurality of apertures 46 are provided because the sweatband may shrink after contact with moisture, requiring adjustment of the snap fastener 47 to another hole. Snap fastener 47 may have a rectangle 48 of contact adhesive strip, to which it is secured, and which secures the snap fastener on the inside of the sweatband 35 with its nib projecting through one of the apertures 46.

The foundation band has apertures 13 and 14 on its opposite lateral sides and located at such an elevation that they register with the nib of the male snap fasteners, which are employed on both sides of the sweatband 35.

Referring to Fig. 11, the foundation band 11a may be provided with a plurality of notches, marking the positions for size adjustments of the band; and its ends may be overlapped and secured by a rectangle of fabric or plastic tape having contact adhesive engaging the sides of the foundation band to secure the ends together. For shipment the adhesive tape 57 may be folded back over the end of the foundation band on the inside, to be pulled loose again when the two ends of the band are to be secured together.

Referring to Fig. 8, a pair of male snap fasteners 49 may be secured to the outside of the foundation band 11 by means of an ornamental piece 50, such as a star, of the same adhesive 51 on its inner side, engaging the base 52 of the male snap fastener 49, and also adhering at its outer star portions to the foundation band 11, with the snap fasteners projecting through the apertures 13 and 14. The nibs 53 of these male snap fasteners 49 are adapted to engage with the female snap fasteners 47 through the apertures 46 in the sweatband.

The sweatband is preferably so located that its lower edge 54, which happens to be uppermost in Figs. 3 and 4, projects outside the foundation band 11, protecting the brow from the sharp edge of the plastic band, which is relatively stiff and sharp. This enables me to eliminate binding tape on the plastic band, reducing the amount of labor required, and simplifying the construction of the plastic band.

It will thus be observed that I have invented an improved workers cap for soda fountain attendants and counter attendants, which presents a very attractive appearance, is cool, and capable of being manufactured at a very low cost.

The top covering has a sweatband which lines the inside of the plastic foundation band and protects the brow and absorbs perspiration.

The snap fasteners are so attached that they do not split or tear the plastic; and all of the parts of the cap are easy to clean and keep in a sanitary condition.

The foundation band is cleaned by merely wiping it off, using soap and water or a suitable solvent for dirt. The top covering can be washed in soap and water and replaced without ironing. The top covering permits the hairdress of the wearer to be visible due to its partial transparency; and the top covering is automatically adjusted to size when the foundation band is adjusted in size.

While I have illustrated a preferred embodiment of my invention, many modifications may be made without departing from the spirit of the invention, and I do not wish to be limited to the precise details of construction set forth, but desire to avail myself of all changes within the scope of the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States, is:

1. A workers cap comprising a top covering of fabric formed out of a trapezoidal strip having parallel upperv end lower edges and upwardly and inwardly beveled ends, said strip being folded along a transverse line located midway between its ends, the fold forming a front edge and the adjacent upper edges being stitched together to form an upwardly projecting n'dged member, the ends being also stitched together, and a sweat band of absorptive material comprising a rectangular strip of the same length as the lower edge of the top covering, said sweat band having its upper edge stitched to the lower edge of the top covering and having its ends stitched together, the ends of said top covering and the ends of said sweat bands extending inwardly and stitchedtogether to form a rear seam and provide an inwardly extending folded construction on each side of the rear seam, a foundation band of relatively stiff sheet material of a length slightly greater that the length of the top covering which is bent to oval form and provided with a plurality of vertically aligned pairs of spaced apart apertures in one end and a pair of vertically aligned apertures at the other end 'adjustably secured together by male and female snap fasteners located in registry with aligned pairs of registering apertures and said male snap fasteners secured by adhesive to one side of the foundation band and said female snap fasteners secured by adhesive to the other side of said band and with the male snap fasteners projecting through said apertures into engagement with the female snap fasteners,

means for detachably connecting the said foundation band to the cap.

2. A workers cap comprising a top covering of fabric formed out of a trapezoidal strip having parallel upper" and lower edges and upwardly and inwardly beveled ends, said strip being folded along a transverse line located mid-way between its ends, the fold forming a front edge and the adjacent upper edges being stitched together to form an upwardly projecting ridged member, the ends being also stitched together, and a sweat band of absorptive material comprising a rectangular strip of the same length as the lower edge of the top covering, said sweat band having its upper edge stitched to the lower edge of the top covering and having its ends stitched together, the ends of said top covering and the ends of said sweat band extending inwardly and stitched together to form a rear seam and provide an inwardly extending folded construction on each side of the rear seam, a foundation band of relatively stiff sheet material of a length slightly greater than the length of the top covering which is bent to oval form and provided with a plurality of vertically aligned pairs of spaced apart apertures in one end and a pair of vertically aligned apertures at the other end adjustably secured together by male and female snap fasteners located in registry with aligned pairs of registering apertures and said male snap fasteners secured by adhesive to one side of the foundation band and said female snap fasteners secured by adhesive to the other side of said band and with the male snap fasteners projecting through said apertures into engagement with the female snap fasteners, and means for secur ng the sweat band to the foundation band at opposite sides of the cap comprising female snap fasteners secured by adhesive to one side of the sweat band and located at registering apertures in the sweat band and foundation band and male snap fasteners secured by adhesive to the foundation band and passing through said apertures into engagement with the female fasteners to secure the foundation band and sweat band together.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,293,980 Tennison Feb. 11, 1919 1,571,107 Capelle et a1 Jan. 26, 1926 2,051,084 Hertz Aug. 18, 1936 2,191,589 Sacks Feb. 27, 1940 2,616,092 Berg Nov. 4, 1952 2,629,103 Berg Feb. 24, 1953 FOREIGN PATENTS 10,481 Great Britain June 12, 1899 

